Topic: Mouchak curry base sauce

[Naga]

I was intrigued by the use of coconut milk in this recipe, so I made the base last night according to the written spec, upping the onions by 0.5kg as suggested by the OP in #Reply33.


After blending but before second simmer.

I used 1.5kg onions and 1.6kg water for the initial boil which took 2.5 hours to get the onions to the proper consistency. After adding the cooked tomatoes and spice mixture, I added a further 0.5kg water to loosen up the sauce. It took another hour or so to get the oil to the surface in any quantity.

So, from around 4kg of ingredients (1.5kg onions + 2.1kg water + 200g tomatoes + approx. 200g for the carrot, green pepper and spices), I realised 2.7kg of base sauce.

I was a bit surprised by the addition of 1 dsp chilli powder in the spicing, and I think I was right to be concerned as the heat definitely comes through in the finished base which limits the addition of further spicing when cooking a meal.

On the other hand, the taste from the addition of coconut milk is, for me anyway, undetectable. I'm not sure what difference the coconut milk makes, but apart from the chilli kick and maybe the saltiness, the base tastes pleasant enough on it own.

I'll be making a curry with this base tonight - maybe a Ceylon.

Edit: I'm going to make loveitspicy's Chasni (omitting the salt and the chilli powder) instead of the Ceylon as it's one of my good lady wife's favourites.

[goncalo]

Looks good Naga.

I've done it to spec (without the addition of extra onions) and I have had decent results.

[Naga]

The Chicken Chasni (accompanied by Aussie Mick's pilau rice) has been made and devoured!


In the pan...


...and on the plate.

It was good! Although it was just on the cusp of being a little too hot for her, my good lady wife declared it as good a Chasni as she had tasted. I enjoyed it too, and couldn't really detect much change in the taste from previous Chasni curries I've made.

Certainly, there was some heat in there, a little of which came from Abdul Mohed's 8-Spice mix power used in the cooking, but most of it came from the base. I would usually use a teaspoon of my chilli jam in place of chilli for this dish, but any extra heat would have led to my wife's portion ending up in the bin!

Would I make this base again? Aye, I think I probably will, but reducing the salt to 1 tsp and omitting the extra chilli powder completely. I might even add a a handful of coriander stalks after the first stage to sweeten it up a bit.

To the OP, IMHO you were quite right to persevere with persuading us to try this base - it's certainly no worse than others I've tried and now trust, and it's miles better than far too many that ended up down the sink!

Nice one!

[curryhell]

Very good report on the Mouchak Naga.  I think Parker21's post on this base was grossly overlooked when it was posted in favour of the "experts" own bases.  When you compare it to the genuine restaurant bases that have been posted recently on the site over the last couple of years, including videos, you realise they all have great similarities.  Why am i not surprised that it delivered a delicious looking and tasting curry.  But as you say its as good as those that you now trust.  I've yet to try this as i'm pretty much sold on the Zaal base with Abdul's enhanced also producing equal quality results but with a different slant.
I will try this base as i've no doubt it will deliver along with the little india base which is also very much on the radar.  I'm sure some think it's all about base and what's in it.  Maybe in certain parts of the country this is true (glasgow one pot base).  But for me I'm more used to the traditional BIR method of thin gravy with additions to get to the desired result.  I believe it is very much a combination of a good base and good technique.  These will deliver a very good result and just occasionally one with the smell and the taste  :
As for H4ppyChris's magic ingredient, i'm sure we'll get a flood of verdicts on that when the e-book finally gets released.  However, I do fear that whilst it may provide the final answer to some on the site, for others it won't get them any nearer.  Unfortunately, one cannot rule out or list every regional difference which accounts for so many different opinions on the same dishes.  I'm sure it will create some activity on the site if it eventually happens.
Must go now as i have to bag up my latest Zaal base and ding my mixed meat vindaloo with plain basmati rice    A little experiment tonight and looking forward to the sampling.

Cracking looking curry there mate.

[Naga]

I can't find anything I disagree with in your post, CH. Spot on! The mixed meat vindaloo sounds good too!

 And thanks again to parker21 for posting this base recipe.

[parker21]

glad you had fun and enjoyed using my base sauce but I think you should have used the mouchak mixed powder ... recipe already on here and If you ask jerry it is the real deal! lol I cooked a vindaloo the other nite I had no tomato puree or garlic but I did have a jar of east end garlic chilli sauce so used that with mixed powder and chiili  powder and base and a little butter ghee and fresh coriander to garnish and while I was having sneaky smoke out the window of my flat which is 20 feet above the street below 2 young lads walked down the street and said bloody it smells like indian down here I did smile to myself!!!
 anyway I hope you persist with my base it does mellow with time and you can make every curry on the menu using it but as I have said there is a mixed powder recipe which goes with this base! 

regards
gary

[Naga]

glad you...enjoyed using my base sauce but I think you should have used the mouchak mixed powder...

I didn't realise it was your own base sauce recipe - I thought it was an authentic restaurant recipe. My mistake.

I DID make up a fresh batch of the Mouchak mix powder and I used it according to the published recipe in making the base, but the Chasni recipe only calls for 1 tsp of mix powder, so I don't really think that a change of mix powder makes much of a difference in this instance. Abdul Mohed's 8-Spice mix powder has the same basic constituents as the Mouchak mix powder, albeit in slightly different proportions, with the addition of paprika and small quantities of garam masala and tandoori powder.

As I said earlier, the curry was good, but the difference between this one and previous incarnations using different bases and different mix powders was virtually undetectable. I agree with Curryhell that "the real deal" in restaurant-style bases lies in the similarities in ingredients and cooking technique.

...I hope you persist with my base...

I've got another 4 double portions and 1 single portion of base in the freezer and I'll look forward to trying it out on a variety of curries. Come to think of it, I haven't done a South Indian Garlic Chilli Chicken for a while so I think that'll be next on the menu.

[parker21]

sorry but it is from mouchak restaurant I ment mine as in I posted it! ;-) you would be surprised how spices can change a dish even as little as you say!

regards
gary

[LiamThompson]

Made this base exact to spec and it turned out excellent.  The best or equal to the best I've ever made.

Do agree with some others depending on what chilli powder you use I would half the amount.

I used Raja Standard Chilli powder and made a bhuna with say half a teaspoon of chilli and it came out as what I would class as Madras hot.

[Donald Brasco]

I read this thread right through the other night and this seems like a good base to try. One question though, in stage 1 of the cooking it says cook until the onions change colour. What colour am I looking for them to change to?